Saturday, January 25, 2014

WHY AM I SO TIRED?

To answer that question we have to back up to Wednesday after OLLI class when I shopped for root vegetables and other foodstuffs to keep us during the local 'freeze.' At home soaking on the counter was a big bag of white beans and a ham bone was thawing out in the fridge. You know what comes next.

But there was little time for veggie prepping Wednesday after pool practice. Daily swims are taking up much of my energy even tho I'm told active physical exertion will boost your energy. Wanna bet?

By that evening I had the carrots, celery, turnips, parsnips grated and ready for soup, the rutabaga par-cooked and my stash of caramelized onions was keeping cool. Thursday morning I managed to make not one but TWO batches of bean soup.

Batch ONE: Chunks of ham, white beans and assorted vegetables, lots of onion and seasonings. Due to limited stove top space this batch went into a large stockpot and into the oven to cook, simmer really for about six hours.

Batch TWO: The purpose of this batch was to consume all the leftovers in the freezer making space for the new soups. To bits and pieces of chicken, ham, breakfast sausage and turkey kielbasa I added red, white and black beans, a can of died tomatoes and veggies as in the above. All of this went into the large crock-pot to cook on the countertop for six-plus hours. Double the trouble and double the fun, right?

The result is 5 containers of mixed-bean soup and after an overnight in the garage (temperature below 30 degrees), the ham and bean soup is warming again for a couple more hours of simmering and then storing. Freezer space is already allocated; IF DH stays out of it.

AND then there is more news. My cousin who was expecting a February baby, it being the designated receiver of the quilt I have been working on since summer; that baby arrived in January.
Got a Facebook message on Thursday without many details as to when, time, weight, etc. Except Baby Peyton is a boy and the posted pictures are fabulous. Tiny, wrinkled and sleeping (temporarily), baby and mother look beautiful.

SO-O-o-o I've got to get busy, have side hems basted but must complete four corners, add some top-stitching to the border areas and check over for bumps + blips. Thinking I had plenty of time (what was I thinking?), the project is now top priority. Right behind the soup pot.

Once it gets boxed and shipped you won't see it again. Here's my latest progress. Doing all the top-quilting on my machine I'm rather excited that it turned out so well.

That's 'well' for now, with a little more practice I'll be quilting like a pro. All those tips from Leah's Day blog helped a lot; as did buying the Isacord all polyester thread. Cut down on a lot of thread breakage and frustration.

So why am I so tired? Oh yes, must have been dinner last night with a couple of Meadows friends (?). Or not?

APM: The Splendid Table

North Carolina Museum of Art

Gumps of San Francisco

About Me

Living and learning in retirement, enjoying ballroom dancing and working at staying fit & trim.
Just remember:
"Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman; but an advanced older woman is incontrollable by any earthly force." - - D.L. Sayers